“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Maya Angelou
Welcome to July’s “Mysteries of the Mind” monthly newsletter!
“Be so good they can’t ignore you.“ – Steve Martin
From castles in London to the Magic Castle in Hollywood, it has been a summer of whirlwind performances!
I’ve performed 14 shows at the University of Utah, 13 shows at the Castle, and my next stop includes 9 shows at a county fair in Butte, Montana.
Thank you for allowing me to travel around the world sharing magic with you. I recently read through every name on this newsletter mailing list, and it is truly thanks to each of you individually – all your help and support – that my rewarding, unconventional life is possible.
One of my favorite hobbies traveling around the U.S. is to listen to different dialects and try to guess where people are from. (It’s even more fun driving between villages in the UK!)
This quiz from the New York Times is based on research by the Harvard Dialect Survey – see if they can figure out where you are from in just twenty-five questions from the words you choose to use! Take Quiz Here
We must each choose every day to be kind and to find ways to reach out to one another. Through my work as an anthropologist, leadership trainer, and entertainer, it has been my life’s goal to bring people together for shared experiences and to build new communities from disparate groups of individuals. I am fascinated by the ways in which we group ourselves, who we choose to associate with, and who we perceive as the “Other.”
In a famous series of experiments conducted in the 1970s, social psychologist Henri Tajfel asked how little it would take to persuade one group of individuals to discriminate against another. The answer was almost nothing. Having assigned boys to two groups based largely on random criteria, he asked them to play a game. Each boy had to decide how many pennies to give to members of his own group and how many to give to members of the other group. Tajfel found that the boys were more generous toward members of their own group, even though the groups had been defined almost arbitrarily: Read: Social Identity Theory Read: Intergroup Discrimination
If this sort of study interests you, you may be interested in my workshops or my Keynote address offerings.
Or you may be interested in helping the Inclusion Center for Community and Justice, a 501c3 charity for whom I serve as an executive board member.
I will also be the Emcee for their Humanitarian Social on September 14th of this year: Read More Here
Please feel free to email me any time, and let’s set up a Skype call if you want to talk person-to-person about what we can do in our own lives to create more opportunities for ourselves and others to grow.
When it is time for your group to gather and celebrate, remember that I am available for corporate banquets, trade shows, morning energizer meetings, and events. I’m never too busy for your referrals.
The Society of American Magicians placed me on the cover of their magazine! I’m so proud to grace the cover of MAGIC * UNITY * MIGHT 100 years after Houdini became President of this, the oldest fraternal magic organization in the world!
The Society of American Magicians placed me on the cover of their magazine! I’m so proud to grace the cover of MAGIC * UNITY * MIGHT 100 years after Houdini became President of this, the oldest fraternal magic organization in the world!
Thank you to past National President David Goodsell for writing a thought-provoking article, and to editor Michael Close for keeping this beautiful magazine alive. (The cover shot was taken by Dave Tada at The Magic Castle)
“Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” -Warren Buffett
Welcome to March’s “Mysteries of the Mind” monthly newsletter!
“Pursuing your passions makes you more interesting, and interesting people are enchanting“ – Guy Kawasaki
It’s been an incredible 2 months since my last newsletter and there is so much I’d like to share. 12 states and 22 cities of adventures.
This month, The Society of American Magicians has placed me on the cover of their magazine! So proud to grace the cover of MAGIC * UNITY * MIGHT 100 years after Houdini became President of this, the oldest fraternal magic organization in the world! Thank you to Past National President David Goodsell for writing a thought provoking article and to editor Michael Close for keeping this beautiful magazine alive.
The cover shot was taken by Dave Tada at the The Magic Castle
Here I am just a few days ago at the grave of Harry Houdini in New York. Feeling emotional (and perhaps rambling a bit.)
He was President of the The Society of American Magicians starting in 1917. In March of 2017, 100 years later, I am on the cover.
My first national TV show was “Houdini: Unlocking the Mystery” on HISTORY. They hired me as the expert on Houdini and his work delving into Spiritualism and the afterlife.
Two years ago I was the medium for the annual official Houdini Séance that has gone on since 1926 trying to fulfill his promise to come back from the grave, and escape death.
And so visiting his final resting place on this snow covered day was oddly emotional for me. I experienced a lot of empathy and reflection. Enjoy. And visit if you can.
Did you catch the photos from my very special Valentine’s Day dinner with and performing for Dick Van Dyke, Paul Reubens, Erika Larsen, Arlene Silver and their friends and family at The Magic Castle in Hollywood. Thank you to the lovely Lisa Land and the talented Scott Land for organizing it. Such a joy to share the “stage” with Steve Valentine who graces the cover of Genii magazine this month. (We are the two cover boys). What a once in a lifetime opportunity to hear DVD talk about his childhood magic show that he performed for $3 and hear stories of some of the background behind Pee-Wee’s Big Adventures over the fine food served up at the Castle before we all headed into the Palace to cheer for the Magical Marionettes of Team Land. A night I will never forget.
“I will prepare and someday my chance will come.” – Abraham Lincoln
Some people asked me for a shorter and more corporate demo Reel without my contact info. Bruce Gold made over 100 edits to my last demo and came up with this 2 minute version.
When it is time for your group to gather, and celebrate, remember that I am available for corporate banquets, trade shows, morning energizer meetings, and events. I’m never too busy for your referrals.
“A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.” -Francis Bacon
New York, New York
The childhood home of Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling in Binghamton, New York. Thank you Scott Hitchcock for telling me to visit Lupo’s S&S Charpit for a Speedy. Thank you Joseph Daniels for telling me to visit the Rod Serling Memorial Foundation sites!
Riding on the Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty National Monument on Presidents Day a few days ago. Luckily she hasn’t been sold off for scrap, she hasn’t been deported back to France, and the pedestal still reads “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” Welcoming refugees to our shore.
Garret Wang from Star Trek Voyager (Ensign Kim) and Veronica Taylor the voice of Pokemon’s Ash Ketchum live on stage with me as I divine who drew which pig at GalaxyFest in Colorado Springs. (They are the two at the end… Aardvark and Miss Piggy drawings)
A few seconds from my show last month at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Vegas performing for an IEEE event with 700 international experts in micro mechanical engineering. Here I am making fun of lawyers and people from Montana.
“I wasn’t campaigning for a role in a Hollywood television series, it was a fluke. So, you’ve got to have a measure of good luck, you really have, being in the right place at the right time.“ – Patrick Stewart
Success is about continuous improvement, perseverance, doing what we can to be in right places all the time, and then when luck strikes having the high level of skill and attitude required to capture the opportunity.
Recently, I performed for J.J. Abrams and his team at Bad Robot for their Holiday Party at a stunning private club called SoHo House at the top of a tower on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood. When I went to the event, I didn’t know who I was hired to be performing for. I assumed just another corporate party for a law firm or financial institution. Until I walked in the door and heard JJ Abrams giving awards to his top team members! (Talk about the luck of being hired to be in the right place at the right time… And then being grateful that I had prepared enough to have the skill level to be asked to stay.).
J. J. Abrams watched me perform two sets and then he took me aside and we chatted about his charity work, passion for making the world a better place, and his love of performance magic. He wanted to know where he could find out more about the kinds of things that I do and when I’ll be back performing at the Magic Castle (He is a member, and I’ll be back January 19-22). What a joy to perform for someone who is making film magic at his level. What an honor to be doing what I love for wonderful people.
Here is a quote from him about my performance:
“Paul Draper was great at our party, seriously really wonderful. I want to dig through the magical literature to find out how he accomplishes the things he does. I look forward to seeing another one of his shows soon. “ – J.J. Abrams
If you haven’t had a chance to watch it yet, here is a new demo video for 2017 (a few days early). Try and catch all the celebrity cameos. I’d love to come and perform at one of your events.
Paul Draper 2017: Mentalism, Mystery, Music & Storytelling Watch Here
Also, email me and let’s set up a Skype call if you want to talk person to person about what we can do in our own lives to create more luck.
In some ways, I was born lucky. I’ve had one of the greatest grandmothers anyone could ever wish for. No one has done more to center me and teach me about art, perseverance, hard work, and making our own luck every day than my grandma. She taught me to find my giggles even in the darkest of times.
My dear friend Nathan Meier recently presented me with this lovely oil painting that he painted of my grandma Grace Ruth Block. Thank you Nate. It is a beautiful gift that I will treasure forever.
When it is time for your group to gather and play, remember that I am available for corporate banquets, trade shows, morning energizer meetings, and events. I’m never too busy for your referrals.
Christmas isn’t Christmas without The Grinch. So, to get everyone in the holiday spirit, I found a Karaoke track and gave it a try. Recorded with my iPhone in 1 take at 3am. Enjoy. (Some friends have listened to this and have said they didn’t recognize my voice).
I was recently interviewed on a podcast for theaters, event producers, and performers who create ticketed events. They asked me about working in theaters around the country. Give it a listen if you are interested in performing in performing arts centers:
“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.“ – Sophia Loren
How to Embrace Creativity Every Day
Winter is coming, or for some it is already here. This is a great time to work on innovation and creativity. Keeping a playful attitude will help you through the Holidays. Here are some tips that I use in my own life to stay playful, childlike, and creative.
You have to start by acknowledging that you are a creative person capable of incredible thingsSchool, work, life, and “growing up” has pushed some of this out of us. But I truly believe there is greatness in everyone. I know that everyone has genius. And we must first admit to ourselves that we are intelligent creative people who have the ability laugh, learn, grow, and play.
Try doing everyday things in new waysChange the path you take to work. Shop for groceries at a new store. Change where your garbage can sits, (You’ll find yourself throwing trash into the corner where it was). Little changes to your physical space and daily routine will help keep your mind fresh and alive.
Be curious about new thingsBeing curious is the key to creativity. Watch a documentary about something you know nothing about, visit the religious services of different faiths, find an expert in some field and ask them what they are passionate about, or what they wished that everyone knew about their area. Take some time observing instead of talking. Take some time being a child who listens rather than proving what you already know.
Think from different perspectivesI will often pull up photos of 4 famous magicians, philosophers, political leaders or scientists that I have researched and I will move face to face and imagine how I believe each of them would answer a question I put before them. What should I write about in my next newsletter Thomas Edison, Winston Churchill, Emerson, Mark Twain? I look at their faces, I think of their biographies and I try to imagine what each would say.
Books and games I’ve found useful recently to inspire my creativity:
Steal like an artist journal (Guided Diary)
Rory’s Story Cubes (Improvisational Game)
The Imagineering Workout (Book)
Allow yourself to play. This is keySwing on a swing, sing in the rain, sit on the floor. This month I performed in a Planetarium that was rented out by Hewlett-Packard and Intel. They filled it with some of the brightest minds in the Super Computing world. And all of them played with the exhibits, touched, smelled, and crawled through everything. It was spectacular to experience.
One of my favorite creative exercises is to watch a show on Hulu, Netflix, etc with the sound off and imagine what they are saying.Switch from making it funny to dramatic. This is also fun to watch with friends. Take different roles and play different people making up the story.
Try a new artistic process for an afternoonPaint, sculpt, photograph, carve, dance, sing. Look on sites like Meetup and Yelp for opportunities near you.
Really do these thingsMake time to release and play. “Don’t think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It’s self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can’t try to do things. You simply must do things.” -Ray Bradbury
When it is time for your group to gather and play, remember that I am available for corporate banquets, trade shows, morning energizer meetings, and events. I’m never too busy for your referrals.
Time to start booking last minute Holliday Parties now.
“Tassion is one great force that unleashes creativity, because if you’re passionate about something, then you’re more willing to take risks.” -Yo-Yo Ma
Upcoming Events
“Beginnings are usually scary, and endings are usually sad, but its everything in between that makes it all worth living.“ -Bob Marley
HP / Intel Event Salt Lake City, Utah November 15th
Ricky Brandon event Provo, Utah December 2nd
Barney Trucking Salina, Utah December 3rd
Private event Las Vegas, Nevada December 24th
Flagship Credit Las Vegas, Nevada January 8th – 10th
Utah Theater Festival St. George, Utah January 12th – 14th
Magic Castle Hollywood, California January 19th – 22nd
Mystique Dining Folsom, California January 23rd – February 3rd
Impossible Theater Reno, California January 27th
Wilcox Theater Wilcox, Arizona February 4th
Winthrop-University Hospital Mineola, New York February 16th
Cortland Repertory Theater Cortland, New York February 18th
Fan X Salt Lake City, Utah March 17th – 18th
Salt Lake Magic Jam Salt Lake City, Utah March 17th – 19th
Weber School District Keynote St. George, Utah May 12th
Is your company having a Holiday Party and you know the name & email address of the person in charge of putting it together? Send them my demo video. Or send me their email. Let’s make some magic together. I always appreciate your referrals.
If you help me to book a Holiday party, I’ll either give them 20% off my normal price or I’ll give you $500 cash. Your choice. Sale good through Dec 24th. (Also good for referrals).
Want to see what others are saying? Check out the Yelp and Linkedin reviews:
Paul Draper 2017: Mentalism, Mystery, Music & Storytelling
Please watch my new DEMO video for 2017 (a few days early). This was edited by magician and editor Chris Oberle. He did a wonderful job! (It has already been viewed over 7,000 times on Facebook). See if you can catch all of the Celebrity appearances!
“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.“ – Henry David Thoreau
Sometimes as a magical entertainer you are blessed with beautiful moments of real magic on stage because of amazing audience members and their adorable children. There is no better way to describe the goal of my profession than this image.
What are you doing for Halloween? I will be performing in the jewel box CLOSE-UP GALLERY in Hollywood at The Magic Castle from October 24th – 31st as the Early-Early Performer. The 8 day week will fill up fast, so get your reservations in now. I’ll be presenting 32 performances over the 8 days. So start your evening off right with some fun spooky magic. I’m on from 5pm – 7pm.
This also means that I am available in the evenings in Southern California for your Halloween parties and midnight Séances. I have been an expert on the history of Séance for History Chanel and A&E and last year was the medium for the 89th Official annual Houdini Séance held in a beautiful Vaudeville theater in San Fransisco. Let me know if you would like to add me to your Halloween or Holiday Line up.
The theme of Halloween week at The Magic Castle this year is Dia de los Muertos-the Day of the Dead! (Celebrated on November 1 & 2, but who’s counting).
Here are some Fun and Interesting facts about the Day of the Dead: View Here
Did you Know Halloween may be more Irish than American in origin and trick or treating has only been going on in the US since after WWII? Enjoy your traditional turnip or Potato Jack o’ Lantern. Read Here
Remember that I am in the US the rest of this year and available for corporate banquets, trade shows, morning energizer meetings, and events.
Actor Jim Beaver who plays Bobby Singer in Supernatural and Whitney Ellsworth in Deadwood helps mentalist Paul Draper on stage at Salt Lake Comic in the 5,000 seat Grand Ballroom.
(I made this prop up quickly backstage with spare cardboard, duct tape, markers, and bulldog clips when my friend Glenn Farrington told me that Jim was a fan of mentalism and would love to come out and help.)
Paul Draper interviews Danny Trejo at Salt Lake Comic Con. We talk about Trejo Taco’s, Machete, Jessica Alba, Dusk Until Dawn, and Storks.
“Good judgment comes from experience. And experience comes from poor judgment.” -Will Rodgers
Welcome to August’s “Mysteries of the Mind” monthly newsletter!
“There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn’t mind who gets the credit.“ – A Plaque on Ronald Regan’s Desk
I visited the Ronald Regan Presidential Library and Museum this week and found the above quote very striking. He had it above his door when he was governor and on his desk throughout his presidency. I have certainly found it true in my personal life that It is often worth it to give away the credit and prestige to instead have the joy of success in achieving the goal. The link below gives some history to this insightful quote and the possible originator. Read More Here
The Science of Comedy
Are humans, as Aristotle wrote, the only beings that laugh?
How does comedy play a role in mating rituals and establishing hierarchy?
Men laugh quicker but, women receive more pleasure from laughter, really!
Here are some of my rules of comedy that fall in line with the writings of Plato, Freud, and Kant:
In comedy we are always making fun of someone. We are making fun of ourselves, our relations, society, the audience. People real or imagined are knocked off of a pedestal. And so when we start to develop our own comedy, we must be very clear about who we are making fun of and the implications there in.
People come to comedy shows to forget about the outside world and the struggles they face in life. Comedy is an escape. Give them that opportunity to release. It is about them, and not us.
Comedy, like horror, stems from a balance of expectation and surprise. My standard structure for both are: That’s normal, that fair, normal, SURPRISE!
They must like you to like your comedy. Always return to that. Make a character that the audience would like to hang out with.
Be a character that you like being, you will have to be that person a lot.
Remember that I am in the US the rest of this year and available for corporate banquets, trade shows, morning energizer meetings, and events.
“There is no real ending. It’s just the place where you stop the story.” -Frank Herbert (Author of Dune)
Upcoming Events
“Beginnings are usually scary, and endings are usually sad, but its everything in between that makes it all worth living.“ -Bob Marley
Salt Lake Comic Con
Thursday September 1 at Salt Lake Comic Con. Here are the HUGE names to look for in the Grand Ballroom:
1:00: Mark Hamill 2:00: William Shatner 3:00: Emma Caulfield and Nicholas Brendon 4:00: Katie Cassidy 5:00: The Dukes Of Hazzard Reunion 6:00: Vic Mignogna 7:00: Billy Boyd 8:00: Paul Draper !!!
Please let your friends know. I need to fill 5,000 seats on a Thursday night in Salt Lake City.
LAS VEGAS: Come and see two amazing shows at The Orleans Hotel and Casino – Las Vegas August 26th & 28th that I am producing along with HypnoThoughts Live! Amazing variety acts that you have seen on TV and around the world. Tickets only $30. Two completely different line ups!
